Hurricane Erin Roars Across Atlantic: Power Outages, Flood Risks and Massive Surf Warnings

Hurricane Erin Brings Heavy Rain, Major Flooding, and Dangerous Surf

If you’re anywhere near the Atlantic right now, you’re probably hearing a lot about Hurricane Erin. It’s not just another summer storm—this is the first big hurricane of 2025. Erin’s been flexing: swinging between Category 3 and a monster Category 5 over the weekend, now staying steady as a Category 4. With winds spinning 120-130 mph, it’s a powerhouse tracking northwest, about 700 miles from Bermuda and just over 800 miles from North Carolina’s Cape Hatteras. The giant wind field stretches over 100 nautical miles from the center—a lot wider than your average hurricane. So its reach is no joke—I’m talking big waves, powerful winds, and a mess of rain across a huge portion of the Atlantic.

The first signs of trouble landed hard in Puerto Rico. Over the weekend, Erin’s outer bands dumped so much rain that more than 80,000 people lost electricity. Streets became rivers and flood warnings are still up across Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. If you live there or have friends and family, you already know it’s not over yet—more rain is in the forecast, and the ground’s so saturated that flash flooding hangs over entire neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, tropical storm warnings darted out for the Turks and Caicos Islands and all across the Bahamas. Folks there have hunkered down, waiting for up to six inches of rain and wind gusts that can snap trees and bring down power lines. Eastern Bahamas has been taking the brunt, but central areas aren’t totally spared. There’s still plenty of rain lining up until at least Wednesday for the southeast Bahamas, and flash or urban flooding could get worse fast in low-lying areas.

East Coast, Bermuda, and Canada: On Alert

The U.S. mainland might dodge a direct hit, but if you’re on the East Coast, you shouldn’t let your guard down. The Outer Banks in North Carolina are already prepping for trouble. Officials there slapped on tropical storm watches and storm surge alerts—some places even face mandatory evacuations. With a storm surge that could climb up to four feet, low coastal communities could see water pouring in where it shouldn’t be. The surf is already rough—advisories warn of waves up to 15 or even 20 feet in the worst spots.

Lifeguards along the entire eastern U.S. shoreline, in the Bahamas, Bermuda, and up to Atlantic Canada are bracing for what might be the roughest surf and deadliest rip currents of the season. Beach flags are up, and swimmers are being turned away in droves. If you’re the type who heads to the coast in hurricane season just to watch the waves, keep your distance this week—the risks are real, and first responders are already stretched thin.

Forecasts show Erin making a key northward swing between Bermuda and the U.S. starting Tuesday night. By Thursday and Friday, the storm is expected to pass directly between these two, then hook northeast and finally pull away into the Atlantic. Bermuda could still get clipped by strong winds on Thursday if Erin wobbles just a bit closer. So, everyone in Bermuda is being told to watch weather updates regularly.

Meteorologists tracking Erin have noticed the hurricane changing shape as it battles wind shear—where strong winds higher up in the atmosphere try to break the storm apart, pushing its energy off-center. Erin’s core is a bit lopsided because of this, and the system is weaker than it was when it hit Category 5, but it’s still strong enough to matter. Experts say the storm will probably stay at Category 3 or 4 strength until at least midweek. What does that mean for people on land? Even without landfall, the storm’s huge size means high tides, bigger than usual waves, and potentially dangerous currents keep being a threat for days to come.

This isn’t just about these few days either. Because Erin is the first hurricane named this year, it signals what could be a lively hurricane season ahead. Forecasters are warning coastal residents from North Carolina all the way to Nova Scotia—stay sharp. Even a hurricane that never makes landfall can leave a trail of flooded homes, closed roads, and battered beaches in its wake.